Method of manufacturing detonating compositions for explosive and percussion caps



excellent igniting agents.

Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DETONATING COMPOSITIONS FOR EXPLOSIVE AND PERCUSSION CAPS.

No Drawing. Application file d October 21, 1925, Serial No. 64,054, and in Germany October 23, 1924.

The numerous substitutes recently suggested for fulminate of mercury and lead azide in explosive and percussion caps are not regarded for certain reasons as completely equivalent substitutes'for these two It has now been discovered that the metallic salts of the iso-nitro-amines which are also named, nitroso-hydroxyl-amines or di-nitrosyl acids constitute exceptionally good substitutes for these two primings.

It will be noted that these three names,

are used in the literature to designate a single group of chemical compounds. The general structural formula of the group of compounds is R-NI(NO).OH

whereas the structural formula of the real nitramines 1s R-NHNO (primary) and R N NO, (secondary) The most important representatives of these iso-nitro-amines, and substances which are also most suitable for the present purpose, are methylene di-iso-nitro-amine, ethylidene di-iso-nitro-amine, the iso-nitroamine fatty acids and the iso-nitrmamine derivatives of the nitro-parafiins. All these substances are obtained good yields by treating the associated ketones and nitropara-fiins in alcoholic solution in the presence of sodium ethyla te with'oxide of nitrogen (see Annalen der Chemie, 300, page 81). Thus methylenedi-iso-nitroramine is produced from acetone by this reaction. The feebly explosive sodium salts resulting from this process are converted in a known manner into salts of heavy metals, of which especially the lead salts, not only the neutral but also the monobasic and polybasic lead salts, are valuable for this purpose.

-While the free iso-nitro-amine compounds decompose with extreme readiness, the salts are characterized by great stability, which renders them particularly suitable for the present purpose.

The behavior of the most important of these salts, the lead .salt of methylene di-isonitro-amine, is very peculiar from the point the detonation is thereforeonly small. If

however some lead tri-nitro-resorcinateis added. whether as a loading or as an admixturc,-th.e salt detonates with excellent efi'ect. Ant addition of salts of hexa-nitro-diresorcinol, tri-nitro-phloro-glucinol, ,hexanitro-di-phenyl amine, di-nitro-di-nitrosobenzene, basic nitro-body salts such as monobasic and polybasic lead picrate phenolate and di-nitro-phenolate and salts of similar nitro-bodies, acts in a similar manner. The lead salt of methylene di-isointro-amine is thus in a sense exploded by these comparatively feebly acting salts. Of course mercury fulminate and lead azide may also be employed for this purpose, but

this obviously presents no advantage.

The salts of the remaining iso-nitroamines behave just in the same way; but the I capacity, owing to the more unfavorable oxygen balance, is not quite so good.

For practical use there come into consideration firstly the lead salt of methylene di-iso-nitro-amine, the structural formula of which is:

and secondly that of ethylidene di-iso-nitroamine the structural formula ofwhich is;

It is advantageous to employ these two sub-, stances together, as they are complementary to one another as regards their oxygen content.

The construction of a detonating cap on this basis would be carried out either by placing in the detonator case on top of a certain quantity of these lead salts about 0.1 gr. of. lead tri-nitro-resorcinate or of the other bodies, or by utilizing a unitary charge of a mixture with from 50 to 25 percent. of. the said bodies. Obviously the .detonating caps-can also be manufactured to the combination principle, from 0.3 to 0.4 gr. of the iso-nitro-amine salts and then about 0.1 gr. of the said nitro-body salts for example being placed on top of the secondary tetryl or tri nitro-toluol charge, or even more advan-' tageously by. employing a priming top consisting of mixtures of the iso-nitro-amine salts with the nitro-compound salts, for example 0.4 gr. of a 50 to 7 per cent. mixture of lead methylene di-iso-nitro-amine with lead tri-nitro-resorcinate. Even more effective than 'mere mechanical mixtures are .mixed salts obtained either by joint, simultaneous precipitation of the iso-nitro-amine I salts with the nitro-com'pound salts or prein the form of jointly precipitat cipitation of one of the components upon the other already precipitated and suspended in the precipitant. In consequence of the uniform distribution and intimate mixing of the components in these mixed salts, which in part represent definite complex compounds, the speed of the explosive conversion and consequently also the priming or exploding power is considerably greater and the latter surpasses in many cases that of mercuric fulminate. The limiting charges of a 70 and per cent. mixed salt of lead methylene di-iso-nitro-amine and lead trinitro-resorcinate are for example 0,09 gr. for tetryl and 015 gr. for -tri-nitro toluol.

Since all these salts possess a good sensitiveness to percussion, without however vbe- 1 ing over-sensitive, they are exceedingly suitable for the manufacture of priming or detonating compositions for percussion caps, especially as they also have a .good priming power. In this case the salts are employed in the usual way by themselves or in connection with the usual componentsof priming compositions, preferably also in common with the salts of nitro compounds, esipecially e mixed salts.

The main advantage of these new salts lies in the remarkably easy accessibility and the consequent low price of these salts. VVh-at I claim is 1. A process for the manufacture of priming compositions for detonators and percus sion caps, comprising the employment of the junction with other components of priming compositions.

5. A process for themanufacture of priming compositions for detonators and percussion caps, comprising the employment of the metallic salts of the iso-nitro-amines, in conjunction with lead tri-nitro-resorcinate.

6. A process for the manufacture of priming compositions for detonators and percussion caps, comprising the employment of the metallic salts of the iso-nitroamines, in conjunction with suchsalts of nitro compounds which are equivalent in force and igniting power to the lead trinitroresorcinate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EDMUND VON nnaz. 

